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Earth’s Vital Signs

He said of the 44 trends tracked by the report, 28 were “pronouncedly bad” and only six were positive.
…Some of the points highlighted in the report include:
– Meat production hit a record 276 million metric tons (43 kilograms or 95 pounds per person) in 2006.
– Meat consumption is one of several factors driving rising soybean demand. Rapid expansion of soybean plantations in South America could displace 22 million hectares (54 million acres) of tropical forest and savanna in the next 20 years.
– The rise in global seafood consumption comes as many fish species become scarcer. In 2004, people ate 156 million metric tons of seafood, the equivalent of three times as much seafood per person than in 1950.
– While U.S. carbon emissions continue to grow, the fastest rise is occurring in Asia, particularly China and India.